Challenge to ACA to “walk the
talk” of pro-active measures by opening investigations into RM250 million
QIC landbridge/flyover contract awarded to Gerbang Perdana not only without
tender but the first case of “Award Contract First, Submit Design Later”

__________________________

Press Statement (2)

by Lim Kit Siang__________________________

(Parliament,
Friday) :
Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) deputy director-general Datuk Ahmad Said Hamdan
said in Jempol on Wednesday that the agency is taking proactive measures to
prevent any misappropriation, delay or graft in projects under the Ninth
Malaysia Plan.

He said: “We are not going to
wait for reports to be lodged before investigating. This time, we will work
closely with government departments to avoid any repetition of glitches
experienced under the Eighth Malaysia Plan.”

I challenge the ACA to “walk
the talk” of its new “pro-active” approach to prevent any misappropriation,
delay or graft in projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan by opening
investigations into the RM250 million quarantine, immigration and customs
complex (QIC) landbridge/flyover contract, which has been awarded to Gerbang
Perdana Sdn. Bhd. without tender, making history by probably being the first
case of “Award Contract First, Submit Design Later” in the country.

I find the Prime Minister,
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s defence of the award without tender of
the RM250 million QIC landbridge/floyover contract to Gerbang Perdana most
unsatisfactory, unconvincing and a disservice to his campaign for
transparency and integrity.

In reply to my question during
his winding-up of the Ninth Malaysia Plan debate in Parliament yesterday,
Abdullah said that not having an open tender for
the RM250 million QIC contract is not wrong.

He said: “We made
the decision based on the reason that we want to expedite the construction
and use (the flyover) as early as possible. That’s why, the decision was
made to negotiate directly with the contractor (Gerbang Perdana Sdn Bhd).

“So whether the government wants to do it through open tender, limited
tender, restricted tender or direct negotiation, it’s the government’s
decision and it’s not wrong. It’s only wrong if people make money (buat duit)
from it.”

Abdullah’s
parliamentary statement provokes two sets of questions.

Firstly, the Works
Minister Datuk Sri S. Samy Vellu has failed up to now to make out a
convincing case to justify the award without tender to Gerbang Perdana
whether in terms of time-saving or cost-effectiveness.

Secondly, how does the Prime
Minister know whether improper profits had not been made and improper
considerations taken into account in the decision-making process,
undermining the system of national integrity in the award of the contract
without tender?

Is Abdullah aware that this is
probably the first case of “Award Contract First, Submit Design Later” which
makes an utter mockery of the very notions of transparency, integrity and
good governance?

Utusan Malaysia (Wednesday,
26.4.06) reported Public Works Department CIQ
Construction Manager, Ir. Ng Ah Kow, not only repudiating Samy Vellu’s
statement in Parliament that the CIQ was to be completed by September, but
also disclosing that Gerbang Perdana has been given two weeks from 21st
April to submit its preliminary design plan for the new RM250 million CIQ
landbridge/flyover – after the contract had been awarded to Gerbang Perdana!.

Will the Prime Minister’s
statement in Parliament yesterday that there is nothing wrong in awarding
the new RM250 million CIQ contract to Gerbang Perdana prevent the ACA from
acting on its new “proactive” approach to open investigations to ascertain
whether there are any malpractices in the extraordinary transaction?

In keeping with its
“proactive” approach, the ACA should also open investigation into the
serious allegation by former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
yesterday implicating an unnamed Malaysian leader in a conflict-of-interest
situation in selling sand to Singapore.

The ACA can start off this
investigation by interviewing Tun Dr. Mahathir for full details and
particulars of his allegation against the unnamed Malaysian leader.